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The Wat
4.6 ★★★★★ 25 Google reviews · Muay thai gym in New York, New York
Authentic Thai — reviews and the gym's own info point to coaching rooted in Thailand's muay thai tradition. If lineage matters to you, ask where the coaches trained and about their kru.
Plan your first class
- Free trial or intro class most gyms welcome new members with a free trial or intro class — check their site or give them a call to book your first session
- Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
- Sparring & clinch sparring and clinch sessions for members ready for controlled contact — always optional and coach-supervised
- Fight team a competition team for members who want to test themselves as amateur fighters
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule thewat.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 212-966-4010
Hours
| Monday | 7 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 7 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 7 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 7 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 7 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am–4 pm |
| Sunday | 10 am–3 pm |
The classes they run
“Beginner classes are very fun, looking forward to eventually working up to intermediate.”
“Sparring is only one or two days per week (once at intermediate level and once at advanced level).”
“Master Phil teaches a lot of clinching and fascinating fighting skills.”
“Part of it is also because of the owner/coach who is such a genuine and friendly person, while being one if the greatest Western Muat Thai fighters of all time.”
Other martial arts here
“Awesome Muay Thai / boxing instruction from Ajarn Phil and the rest of the team (Eric, Nick, Ruben, Susan, etc).”
What members say
“Beginner classes are very fun, looking forward to eventually working up to intermediate.”
“Part of it is also because of the owner/coach who is such a genuine and friendly person, while being one if the greatest Western Muat Thai fighters of all time.”
“Technique lessons are vast and detailed and you are guaranteed to learn amazing tech work with Ajarn Phil Nurse and his Coaches.”
“There is enough conditioning exercises to break a sweat too, so you will definitely get some work out.”
“Part of it is also because of the owner/coach who is such a genuine and friendly person, while being one if the greatest Western Muat Thai fighters of all time.”
“Before I get into it, let me just say the Wat, in general is a great gym.”
From the reviews
Before I get into it, let me just say the Wat, in general is a great gym. Ajarn Phil Nurse is the man and his classes are great. I train at a few of the big gyms in the city & Brooklyn, and the Wat is easily in my top 3.
Kru Phil Nurse and the other instructors at the Wat (Susan, Stanley, Brett, and others) are at the top of their class. All are excellent teachers and all have impressive skills at Thai boxing.
Best Muay Thai gym in NYC and this is a fact! The energy here is what always gets me it’s some serious feng shui going on here. It’s super communal guarantee to adopt a new family here. Staff is consistently delivering. The owners are really kind and very involved.
Excellent muay thai gym, instructors are very good about letting you train at your own pace. Beginner classes are very fun, looking forward to eventually working up to intermediate. Classes are well priced, and they let you 'resurrect' passes that have expired so they never really go to waste.
New to muay thai? Start at The Wat
The Wat comes up as a beginner-friendly gym, going by their listing and members’ reviews. If you've never thrown a punch or a kick, that's exactly who a good beginners program is for. A few things worth knowing before your first week. First, you don't need to be fit to start — you get in shape by training, not before it, and coaches scale the conditioning to you. Second, you won't be thrown into sparring — reputable gyms build fundamentals (stance, footwork, and the basic strikes of the "art of eight limbs") for weeks before any contact, and sparring stays optional. Third, all levels really are welcome — ask about a dedicated beginners or fundamentals class time so your first session is alongside others who are also starting out. Most gyms are happy to let you watch or try a class first, so reach out before you commit.
Your first muay thai class at The Wat
Nervous about walking into a muay thai gym for the first time? Almost everyone is, and good coaches expect beginners to come through the door. Here's what to know. What to expect: a typical first class is a warm-up, then drilling the basics on pads and bags — not fighting. Rest whenever you need to; no one will bat an eye. What to wear: shorts or athletic wear and a t-shirt; you'll train barefoot on the mats. What to bring: water and hand wraps if you have them — many gyms lend gloves for a first class, so it's worth asking when you call. As you keep training you'll add your own gloves, wraps, a mouthguard, and shin guards. Sparring is optional and comes later, once your fundamentals are solid. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to sign a waiver and meet the coach. It gets easier fast — most people feel far more at home by their third class.
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